Tiltable bed



J. D. BELL.

TILTABLE BED.

APPLICATION FILED JAN-10,1914- RENEWED FEB. 4. I920.

L mw w. 5% & W/v. n D w oo m A mm p 5 FM j AMA M r J. m 1 P m WKIZITNESSES: -3-

J. D. BELL.

TILTABLE BED.

APPLICATION FILED JAN- 10. 1914. RENEWED FEB-4,1920.

Patented Feb. 8, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Be l! IN V EN TOR v osqw D.

B Y M h? Ldlx- 'a ATTORNEY WITNESSES; I

UNITED STATES JOSEPH D. BELL, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

TILTABLE BED.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH D. BELL, a citizen of the United States,residing at San Francisco, in the county of San F rancisco and State ofCalifornia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Tiltable Beds,of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to improvements in that class of bedswhich swing from a horizontal to a vertical position. One object of theinvention is to provide means whereby the bed can be so swung as topermit of its occupying the least possible space when in a Verticalposition, and also that the bed frame may be as far as possible belowthe spring mattress of the bed when in an extended position. A furtherobject is to simplify the construction of. the foot piece, and to renderit easy to be moved from one position to the other. A further object isto provide simple mechanism for rendering the foot piece stable whenextended.

My invention also resides in the novel construction, combination andarrangement of parts hereinafter specified-and particularly pointed outin the claims. 7

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a front view of the bed in itsclosed or vertical position; Fig. 2 is a side view of the same; Fig. 3is a side view of the bed partly lowered; Fig. 4 is a side view of thebed in its fully extended position;F1g. 5 is an enlarged verticalsection through one side bar of the foot piece of the bed; Fig. 6 is anenlarged verticalsection of the head support; Fig. 7 is a side view of amod1 fied form of foot piece; Fig. 8 is a similarview, the parts beingin different positions from those in Fig. 7 Fig. 9 is a side view of alocking means; Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the same, detached.

. Referring to the drawing, 1 indicates two castings which are securedby screws- 2 to the floor of a room and have raised apertured lugs 3.Also secured to said floor, in line with the respective castings 1, arethe bases 6 of castings 4, having at their upper portions hook-shapedflanges 8 (see Fig.6)

extending toward each other. In said lugs 3 are pivoted trunnionsextendingoutwardly from upwardly extending side members 11 of a rockingsupport for the head of the bed having, lower and upper hori-Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 8, 1921.

Applications led January 10, 1914, Serial No. 811,347. Renewed February1, 1920. Serial No. 356,119.

zontal members 12, 13, connecting said side members, and having alsorearward halfround extensions 14, adapted to engage the inwardlyextending flanges 8. Through. the upper ends of the upright side members11 extends a fixed horizontal cross bar 16, on the ends of which arecrank arms 18 pivoted at their other ends by bolts 19 to tubular sidebars 21 of a bed frame.

The arrangement of the horizontal cross bar 16 at the ends of the crankarms, the other ends of, which are pivotally secured to the side bars ofthe bed frame, is of value both when the bed is extended and when it isclosed or collapsed. In the former position of the bed, as shown in Fig.4, the side bars of the bed frame, and therefore the mattress springs,are at a considerable height above the cross bar 16 and the partssurrounding the same, so that there is no danger of said mattresssprings coming in contact with said parts when a heavy person occupiesthe bed. In the closed position of the bed, as shown in Fig.

2, the arrangement causes said cross bar 16, and the' parts immediatelysurrounding the same, to assume positions closer to the mattress springsthan would otherwise be the case,-so that said parts do not extend infront of the side bars of the bed, and therefoire the bed can be closedor collapsed into a much narrower space, d

For the purpose-0f balancing the weight of the bed there are providedbalancesprings 22 coiled around a tube 17 around the cross-bar 16'andbetween the side members 11, the adjacent ends of the springs 22 beinginserted in holes in a circular flange 24 formed integralwith said tube17 and located centrally between the side members 11 of the headsupport. From said flange 24 extends an arm 26, the outer end of whichcan slide through a hole formed by a guide 27' secured to an angle iron28 at the head of the bed. The other ends of the balance-springs areinserted in holes in ratchet segments 29 which loosely surround thecross-bar 16 between the inner surfaces of the upper ends of thesidegmembers 11' and the ends of the tube 17. Pawls 31 can engage the,teeth of the ratchet segments and prevent rearward movement due to thetensions of the coiled springs. These pawls are loose pieces formed ontheir under sides with concavities 32 (Fig. 6) which can rock on roundbosses 33 formed integral with the upper cross member 13 of the support11. Each pawl has a tail 34, which, by its greater weight than that ofthe 'nose of the pawl, forces said nose into engagement with a tooth ofthe corresponding ratchet segment. The tension of either spring can bevaried as desired by turning it so as to cause the pawl to engage'adiflerent tooth. In lowering the bed from the upright or closed positionthe tension of the springs 22 is not, increased until the extensions 14impinge against the flanges 8. Until that occurs the tension of thesprings 22 causes the head support to swing outward with the bed aboutthe trunnions 9 as an axls.

. But when the head support can no longer swing outward, by reason ofthe abutment of the extensions 14 against the flanges 8, as shown inFig. 3, the bed is then swung outward on the pivot bolts 19. In so doingthe outer end of'the arm 26 is moved upward, increasing thetension ofthe springs 22.

, The ends of the side bars 21 are received in the socketed ends ofcastings 20 which have thereon studs 23 by which are attached head andfoot angle-irons 28,37, extending "transversely of the bed, to whichangle-irons and are pivoted by pivot pins 48 to, the tubular sidemembers 49 or a foot iece 51 of the bed. When the bed is exten ed, asupport 52 pivoted at its upper end, as shown at53, .to the fre of thebed, and maintainingby gravityits vertical position, first comes incontact with the floor, and forms a temporary support for the bed. Theupper portion of the foot'pieceis then pulled up: ward ,and forward, theside members of the yoke 47 swinging about their inner ends untilextensions 5401? the pivot pins 48, extending toward each other throughthe tubular side members of. the .foot plece, contact with the upperedges of the rearwardly extendin fmelnbers of the angle plates 42.

The" yo e 47 can then swing no farther, but gravity to a posi-, tionmwhich its ends are 1n: contact. with the foot piece swings by the floor.A slight outward pull upon the top of the foot piece moves the bottom ofthe .footpiece inwardly. At the .same time lowerstop pins 56, extendingtoward each.

other from the sides otthe toot piece, move underneath the shoulders 43,and since they rise as the foot piece is'moved inward,they

raise the shoulders, thereby raising .the bed, and also the support 52pivotally connected to the bed, so that the foot of said support is'nolonger in contact with the floor. The pins 56 then move into therecessed-portions of the shoulders 43, and 'the lower end of the beddrops slightly, the support 52, however, still not being in contact withthe floor.

Securedto the side members 49 adjacent to the slots 40 through which theouter ends of the side members or arms 45 ofthe yoke" 47 extend intosaid members 49 are slotted plates 50, the upper ends of the slots ofwhich form'stops for saidarms 45, as shown in Fig. 5, limiting theoutward movement of the lower portions of the side members 49 of thefoot piece below the pins 56, so that said pins are properly guidedintothe recesses beyond the shoulders 43. Hence to raise the foot piece,in the extended position of the bed, all that is necessary is to pullthe foot piece toward the head piece, and, in doing so, the foot piececan never impinge upon the mattress before it reaches its finalposition, this being revented by the upper end of theslot in t e plate50, which acts as a stop preventing the angle between the plane of thefoot piece and'the foot of the yoke being reduced below a certainminimum, which is approximately a right angle.

At the same time that the foot piece is so raised by the pull thereon ina direction toward the head of the bed, the force imparted to the footpiece is transmitted to the bearings 44 and therefore to the side barsof the bed, holding the footof the bed down while the foot piece isbeing raised. Since the foot plece is nearer to the pivotal axis of thebed when it has been placed in its inoperative position upon themattress, shown in Fig. 2,

the strength of a spring which then counterbalances the weight of thebed is less than it would have to be if said foot piece were not raised,and therefore thespring may be made correspondingly lighter.

The means for pivotally attaching the foot .piece forms an importantimprovement of the bed. Heretofoi'e, so far as I arm-aware, no one hassecured a foot piece to the side bars of a bed frame by swinging arms,piv

oted to said side bars and also to said. foot piece, which'allow'thefoot piece to swing as a whole from a position in which it rests onthe'top of the mattress to a position in which it extends verticallyatthe end pf the bed.

The reason why this has not been done appears to be on account of thegreat stram which isput upon an arm swinging at one side of the bed 1fthe foot piece is swung by force applied to an arm on the other side.Unless said force is a plied 'at a central point of the foot piece whichin practice is very inconvenient to do) the twisting effect formed in asingle piece with a cross bar which extends between theside bars, thatis,

by using for the swinging arms the side members of a yoke. Inconsequence," when 'the foot piece 15 raised by force applied at oneside thereof, the'for'ce for raising the other side of the foot piece istransmitted to said other side, not through the pivotal joint betweenthe foot piece and the swinging arm, but by means of the bar. whichintegrally connects1he two side arms of the yoke. The swinging arms andthe middle member of the yoke, being integrally connected together, moveas a single piece, and consequently there is no strain on any joint, andthe foot piece can readily be swung into either position by forceapplied at one side. on y.

'It is obvious that while I have herein shown; the yoke 47 as applied toa foot piece of a bed it may equally well be applied to the head piece.Q

The head piece 57 of thebed is secured to the floorbybrackets 58 ofwhich the upright members are received within the tubular lower portionsof the head piece and secured by screws 5.9 to the head piece, while thehorizontal members extend throughrecesses in said tubular members attheir lower ends andare secured to the floor by screws 61. The means forfastening the head piece to the floor are thus'rendered veryinconspicuous. The advantage of making the head piece 57 of the bed in aseparate piece from the bed and fixedly located, by being secured eitherto the floor, as here shown,

or to the wall or a door of a room, is that thereby the moving parts,.as joints and the like, which are required when the head piece frame ismade a part ofthe bed, are materially reduced in number.

To the Side members of the bed are pivoted, as shown at 62, the'outerends of the side members of. a head yoke 63, which rests, in the closedposition of the'bed, upon the mattress 64, there being pivoted thereto,as shown at 66, ends of guard rods 67 which slide through guide holesv68 in the head angle plates 42' In the position in which it rests onthe mattress. said head yoke 63 isretained by a hook 69, upon the end ofan arm 71 pivoted at 72 in one of the side rails.

When said hook has been disengaged from the corresponding side member ofthe head yoke said head yoke can be swung rearwardly, from off the uppersurface of the mattress. The guard rods then move through the holes 68-and extend over studs 73 1n the stat onary head piece, and thereby formlocking devicesfor preventing the bed being. raisedwhen extended.v

In the modificationof the invention shown in'Figs. 7and 8, there isprovidedfla footpiece secured to angle plates 7 which angle plates aresecured in like manner as the angleplates 42 to the socketed ends of thecastings 20, and said angle plates have therein vertical slots 76, inwhich can slide bolts 77 secured to legs 78, which have extendingtherefrom lower bolts 7 9', which are adapted to enter recesses 81 inthe lower ends of said angle plates, the foot piece then resting uponthe upper ends of said legs, the

bolts 77 assuming positions in the upper ends of said slots 76, and thebolts 7 9 assum-- ing positions the-upper ends of said recesses 81-.

In Figs. 9 and 10 I show means for locking the bed securely againstmoving into its closed position. v Said means comprises aha-n ger 82pivotally secured upon the head of the bed, and of a length to extend tothe floor when the bed is in its extended position. Said hanger has afoot 83. extending at right angles from the main portion of the hanger,and formed with a recess 84.- in its not generally be used by personswho fully understand the construction of the bed.

I claim v 1. In combination with a bed frame having side bars, a supportfor the head portion of thebed frame, pivoted to rock about a transversehorizontal axis, and a U-shaped member, of which the middle portion ispivotally supported by said support about a transverse horizontal axis,and the outer ends of the terminal portions pivotally support the sidebars about a transverse horizontal axis. 2. combination with a bed framehavmg slde bars, a support for the head portion of the .bed frame,pivoted to rock about a transverse horizontal axis, and a U-shapedmember pivotally connected 'to one of the aforesaid elements to rockabout a transverse ho-rizontal' axis, and of which the middle portion issupported by said support, and the terminal portions pivotally supportat-their outer ends the side bars about a transverse horizontal axis. I

3. In combination with a bed frame having side bars, crank arms eachsupporting at one end a corresponding side bar to swing thereon about atransverse horizontal axis, a cross bar connecting the other ends ofsaid crank arms, and a support pivoted to swing about a transversehorizontal axis and supporting the middle of said cross bar so that thelatter can swing about a transverse horizontal axis thereof.

4:. In combination with a bed frame having side bars, crank arms eachpivoted at one end. to a corresponding side bar, a crossbar connectingthe other ends of said crank arms, and a support pivoted'to rock aboutitslower portion as an axis and supporting the middle of said cross-bar.

5. In combination with a bed frame having side bars, crank arms eachpivoted at one end to a corresponding side bar, a crossbar connectingthe other ends of said crank arms, pivot bearings adapted to be securedto a support,a head support having at its lower portion trunnions insaid bearings,

the middle portion of said cross-bar being portion of said supported onthe upper head support.

6. In combination with a bed frame, a

yoke, a mid le member of which extends across the bed frame, pivotalbearings for said yoke at the sides of the bed frame, and

an end piece pivotally connected to the free ends of the yoke andsupported wholly thereby.

7. In combination with a bed frame and a movable end piece, a swingingconnection to which both the bed frame and the end piece are pivoted, anextension from the bed frame, means carried by the end piece andimpinging upon said extension to arrest the swinging movement of saidswinging connection, and means on said end piece and engaging saidextension to support the same.

8. In combination with a bedframe and a movable end piece, a swingingconnection to which both the bed frame-and the end iece' are pivoted, anextension from the bed rame, means carried by the end' piece andimpinging upon said extension to arrest the swinglng movement of saidswinging connection, means for limiting the swinging of 'said end pieceupon said swinging-connection, and means on said end piece engaging forsecuring it to a floor, a bed arranged to swing on saidsupport from ahorizontal to a vertical position, and an end piece for the bed securedto the floor independently of the bed;

11. In combination with a support, means for securing it to a floor, abed arranged to swing on said support from a horizontal to a verticalposition, an end piece for the bed secured to the floor independently ofthe bed, a head yokearranged to be swung on to the upper surface of themattress of the bed when extended, and guide rods moved by the movementof the yoke from the mattress and which engage said stationary headpiece to form locking devices.

12. In combination with a bed frame, an end piece-movably connected withan end of the bed frame, means whereby said end piece when in a verticalposition supports an end of the bed frame, and a leg, pivoted to thesame end of the bed frame, arranged to support the same end of the bedframe when the end piece is moved from said vertical position, andadapted to be raised from off the floor when said end frame is movedinto its supporting position.

, In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

JOSEPH D. BELL.

Witnesses:

FRANCIS M. WRIGHT, D. B. RICHARDS.

